In 1879, two years after its foundation, St. John Ambulance Association introduced a medallion for award to those who had passed three of its examinations. At least two of the examinations had to be in First Aid to the Injured, but the third could be in either Home Nursing or Home Hygiene. The purpose of the medallion was to prove, when necessary, the competency of the holder. As a measure of security each example carried the medallion number and name of the recipient engraved on the plain reverse. It was common to take the First Aid exams, obtain the medallion, and not be a member of St John Ambulance.
Medallions and their accompanying labels and pendants could be purchased in bronze, silver or gold. In 1905 the cost of each version was: bronze 2/- (10p); silver 7/6 (37½p); 18ct. Gold 50/- (£2.50). Prices included the cost of engraving the name and registered number on the reverse. At a time when the weekly wage of an ordinary working man was between 30/- (£1.50) and £2, it would take a considerable sacrifice to obtain this symbol of competency to render First Aid. It is a tribute to their pride in obtaining the qualification that so many ordinary men and women made that sacrifice.
A label could be earned by a medallion holder for each successful re-examination at intervals of not less than 12 months. Introduced in 1905, each label carries on the front the year of the re-examination, and on the reverse the registered number of the medallion to which the label was to be attached was engraved. In 1916 specialist pendants were introduced for the first time for those who had successfully re-examined in subjects other than First Aid. These were Home Nursing, Home Hygiene, Sanitation and, from 1946, Child Welfare.
In 1962 medallions ceased to be issued. The total number issued up to this date is not known, but up to 1945 634,000 medallions, 1,219,000 labels and 169,000 pendants had been issued in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.
The recipient of this example of the Re-examination Medallion was T.A. Bowyer, who diligently re-examined in first aid every one or two years, as well as taking additional instruction and examination in Home Nursing, as shown by the many ‘HN’ pendants on this chain.
There have been four different designs of the Re-examination Medallion, and a fifth for those examined in Wales. With the exception of the first design, all have an eight-pointed cross, four trefoil ends featuring St John’s Wort (and in earlier designs also fleur-de-lys), and ‘ST JOHN AMBULANCE ASSOCIATION’ in a circular border.
Records of recipients of Re-examination Medallions were not kept after 1885, and so the Museum regrets it will not be able to provide any further information on specific Re-examination Medallions.
